Video games and 'brain training' apps are gradually pushed as an effective treatment for depression. Through the use of carefully designed persuasive message prompts, mental health video games can be perceived and used as a more viable and less attrition-ridden treatment option.
The study was carried out by University of California – Davis. The messages, and ensuing games assigned, targeted depression that could be apparent as either internal caused by a chemical imbalance or hereditary factor; or depression that could come from outside factors such as a job or relationship situation. Depicting depression as rather caused internally because of biological factors and providing a video game-based app for brain training made participants feel that they could do something to control their depression.